Emerging (Orig. posted Blog-City)

Today seems to have been Graduation Day at the Uni, lots of ponced up youngsters trotting around with parents everybody fluffing around and taking pictures etc. etc. It’s a strange thing because at the moment other than that the college is quiet and suddenly today such pandamonium.

I did not go to my Graduation, I boycotted it on moral grounds, ok there was some politics involved but only in the local sense. I’d recently done an exposé, as I was a staff writer on the college paper, on the actual cost of the graduation ceremony and associated costs to the University and how this compared with the amount that students and parents were being charged. Shall we say it didn’t just make interesting reading it was downright scandalous. It seemed to me to be one hell of a moneyspinner for the college and that you got precious little in return. My college was one of the ones part of the University of London that chose not to have its ceremonies at the Royal Albert Hall which was the traditional place for London Uni things such as this. It was claimed that this decision had been democratically reached because it had gone through Academic Board which was a College legislatory body made up of Administrators and Academics that had 2 student reps out of around 25-30 people. Funnily enough whilst the ceremony was moved to the college hall the price of tickets was not reduced. There were also things I found out about backhanders for the gown hire and photography co. and such like, it was pretty sordid stuff, anyway I also wasn’t allowed more than 2 tickets which since I didn’t come from the conventional family setup was not appropriate for me. I therefore took the unilateral decision not to go.

Today got me thinking about that decision for the first time since it happened because my late Grandmother would have been one of my list and she would have enjoyed it. However I am convinced I made the right decision for me and my family at the time and in the same position now I feel I would have no alternative but to do the same. That actually makes me feel quite good that I still think I was right, but there’ll always be a touch of regret that my parents and Grandmother missed out.

Other than that it was free listing day on ebay UK today so the Baron put on his capitalist hat and got listing, it was exceedingly dull but it’s now done so I have to wait 10 days and hope that I get enough money to buy some diesel later in the month. Ho-hum.

The weather here is shite and it does have an effect on one’s mood, I have however been too busy to really concentrate on things which is no bad thing, I feel I’ve done pretty well this month, it’s been a while since I was on a downer and the decent weather of late has probably ben a factor. I actually heard Monty Don on Radio 4 last week (he’s a TV gardener for those not in the UK, he’s not high profile) he was talking about his seasonal depression. It was very interesting he referred to how he knows in advance that he’s going to have a bout of depression and it’s always worse in winter, he says that he just has to tough it out for a couple of days and then is ok again to the next one. He doesn’t take any medication because he’s uncomfortable about medication and it doesn’t really work for him. It is amazing how much good it can do one to get a bit of solidarity, I really felt very much that this is very similar to how my mood swings go, it’s nice that other people go thru’ it and choose similar ways to cope and manage to get on with their lives. When I think about it now as the year has moved into summer I have had less mood swings than I did say 6 months ago where it was at least once a week at stages.

What I find interesting is that for some reason I haven’t been able to inject a great deal of humour into my blog lately, which I would have thought would make me more inclined to melancholy but it doesn’t seem to have been so.

BTW if any people out there get the ITV News Channel they are going to be showing a series of John Pilger films and I urge you to watch them, sadly I don’t have it so I can’t. It’s starting on Sunday with ‘Paying the Price’.

Song Of The Day – Led Zeppelin ~ Kashmir

Original Comments:

Pimme made this comment,
We had our high school graduation outdoors–no problem. We had our college graduation in a theatre, and our reception in a nearby banquet hall. There was a long table of buffet items for us to eat, but no plates set up at the end of the table. We spied a wheeled cart full of china, and proceeded to help ourselves to plates. Presently, a server comes over and tells us that we may NOT use the china as it is for another group!!! So, she brings us freakin’ paper plates!!! How cheap is that?!?
Visit me @ http://pimme.blog-city.com

comment added :: 9th July 2004, 02:12 GMT+01
haywood made this comment,
thanks for the quick rebut on my site, I was just going to tell you I had defended my homeland honorably, and it was time to launch the counter-strike, but I think that did the trick, Damn I’m still pissed that chumfucker really got my goat!
Haywood

comment added :: 9th July 2004, 03:22 GMT+01
Cancergiggles made this comment,
I think you are right. Your funny cells are clearly in disarray and need realigning. If you help I have a cricket bat.
Best
Cass
Visit me @ http://www.cancergiggles.blog-city.com

comment added :: 9th July 2004, 11:50 GMT+01
Rachel made this comment,
i don’t have that channel, and i must say i have heard of neither those movies, or the channel itself. so sorry. back to ebay eh?
Visit me @ http://palmysinfullbloom.blog-city.com

comment added :: 9th July 2004, 18:53 GMT+01
Rachel made this comment,
you’re right, the money spent during graduation is bullshit. apparently, the average teenager spends eight hundred dollars the week of prom. well…the average teenage “girl”. but the point still stands!
Visit me @ http://palmysinfullbloom.blog-city.com

comment added :: 9th July 2004, 21:49 GMT+01
protagonist made this comment,
think how many homeless people could eat for the average cost of a wedding.
comment added :: 10th July 2004, 01:14 GMT+01
David S made this comment,
yeah but big weddings are great, see all the family, proper meal, dancing music, cake, what more could you want?
Visit me @ http://glasgowdave.blog-city.com

[Redbaron responds – Yes but all this can be done without it necessitating the spending of the national debt of an African country, surely? I would have thought if you had a social conscience it must undermine your enjoyment of your wedding if such a profane amount was spent on it.]

comment added :: 10th July 2004, 19:47 GMT+01
Katie made this comment,
Isn’t this moving into the exact ground we were talking about last night (no not that…), an overly large social conscience when it comes to spending money. Your original point back then seems to have been more than justified but the money spent on proms/weddings etc; isn’t that back to the point of what’s wrong with enjoying yourself (without feeling guilty) as long as it’s not hurting anyone?
X
PS Was bored tonight so have been trawling through various archives. Trying to stop the urge to call himself that’s been building up over the last hour or so. At least he’s bound to be in bed now.
I’m lonely and in need of hugs…
Visit me @ http://screamtoasigh.blog-city.com